"The only way to be totally free is through education" - Jose Marti
Topic 7: Gender
Gender expression and identity has been a hot topic among educators lately with the controversy in the Catholic School Board over a transgendered youth wanting to use their gender identified rather than sex-identified washroom, and the realization that the Public School System has not implemented or standardized policies in relation to transgendered youth and safety.
A starting point in understanding the controversy that is seen in the media and in schools is to identify the differences between sex, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, and gender expression. Sex refers to the biological definition of a persons sex status as male or female. Gender is a product of social and cultural experiences and an internal sense of being. This internal sense of being is referred to as a persons gender identity, while their external expression of gender - how they want the rest of the world to see them - is referred to as their gender expression. Gender expression can be categorized as androgynous (high femininity adn masculinity), feminine, masculine, or undifferentiated (low in femininity and masculinity). This all differs from sexual orientation which is who a person is attracted to.
Although LGTBQ youth make up a minority population in Canadian schools, they are a population of concern as they represent a low self-esteem group that is prone to depression. Sexual minority students also experience bullying in both aggressive and passive forms on an everyday basis.
In this week's flex-reflection we were asked: What is one thing you plan to do as a teacher to create an inclusive classroom for gender-nonconforming youth?
In class, we discussed the resources available at the University of Alberta for sexual minorities and their supporters: the Institute for Sexual Minority Studies and Services (ISMSS). This group supports the Safe Spaces Initiative which is something that I would like to promote in my future school. I would also support or create (if one is not yet in existance) a Gay-Straight Alliance, which is a recently popularized way to create safe environments at school. I think one of the greatest challenges in supporting gender minority youth is to communicate to other students that supporters are not necessarily of a sexual minority, they can be anyone, of any background and being a supporter is something to be proud of because it means that students are able to stand up for one-another as a cohesive community.
Additional Resources:
Canadian Teachers' Federation - Supporting transgender and transsexual students in K-12 schools: A guide for educators
An extensive guide on the development of inclusive classrooms.
Public Health Agency of canada - Questions and answers: Gender identity in schools
http://www.education.gov.sk.ca/Q-and-A-gender-identity
A guide to gender identity, disclosure, and how schools can support students and families.
Video Documentaries for teaching Adolescent Courses
http://www.s-r-a.org/sites/default/files/Video_Documentaries_March_2014.pdf
A collection of resources for teaching adolescents including "Wrestling with manhood" and "Killing us softly", two videos that address gender and gender roles in society.